Warp-knitted fabric



' Feb. 10, 1948. M. NEWMAN 2,435,897

WARP-KNITTED FABRIC Filed Dec. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l a r 8 8 k.

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m d g 8 INVENTOR. 1 I E Q BY M\L TON NEWMAN ATTORNEX Feb. 10, M N N WARP-KNITTED FABRIC Filed Dec. 20, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 MW m VE W m WWNWNPN N 7% A U .V. l 5 09 mm mm 5 mm Patented Feb. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- WARP-KNITTED FABRIC Milton Newman, Philadelphia, Pa. Application I Jccember 20, 1946, Serial No. 717,453

7 Claims. (01. 66-193) --This invention relates generally to pile fabrics and more particularly to an improved construction of warp knit pile fabric adapted for a wide variety of uses, as for use in the manufacture of rugs, mats, curtains, draperies, bedspreads and the like. The pile which is produced in the present fabric may be in the form of uncut loops so that the fabric may be said to imitate terry cloth, or the loops may be sheared or cut, in which case the fabric produced may be said to imitate plush or similar materials.

In the manufacture of the present fabric, the warps thereof are formed of a series of parallel lines of chain stitches, these lines of chain stitches ticularly characterized by the fact that the pile is formed by drawing a loop out of each warp chain stitch and further by the fact that the pileforming chain stitches are each plated with a binding stitch in such manner'that as the chains of loop-forming stitches are knitted the binding stitches interlock with the loop-forming stitches and the weft yarns to secure them tightly together to form closely adjoining warp chains having pile-forming loops extending freely from each stitch thereof. In addition, it is a characteristic feature of the present construction that the weft yarns, which form the backing for the pile fabric, are so laid with respect to the warp chain stitches as to lock the chains of the face yarns against all possibility of lateral'displacement of the chains relatively to each other, thereby maintaining the warp chains in such closely adjoining parallel relation that the freely extending pile-forming loops thereof provide a dense pile on one face of the fabric, the weft yarns being themselves relatively so arranged as to provide for the fabric a solid foundation or backing lying substantially in the common fiat plane of the warp-knitted chain stitches of the loop-forming and binding yarns.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement, of the several yarns composing the fabric, all as will be described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative of a preferred construction of warpknitted fabric embodying the principles of the present invention- Figure 1 is a front face view of the warp-knitted fabric showing the same in enlarged diagrammatic detail; I

Figure 2 is a back face view of the fabric as shown in Figure 1;

' Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the relative disposition of the several yarns employed in the knitting of the fabric;

Figure 4 is a view of the back face of a piece .of fabric constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a front face view of the piece of fabric shown in Figure 4 showing the pile face thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, it will be observed that the fabric of the present invention includes a series of separate parallel lines It, H, l2 and 13 of chain stitches I4, these lines extending warpwise of the fabric and being each knitted of a pair of textile yarns a and b which are commonly delivered to each needle of the knitting machine upon which the fabric is formed. The yarns a.

of each warp-knitted chain of stitches constitute the main body yarns of the fabric and are employed to form the pile-forming loops 15 of the fabric, while the yarns b, which are knitted conjointly With the yarns a in plated relation with respect thereto to form the warp chains of stitches M, are employed primarily as binding yarns to secure these chain stitches firmly about the backing yarns c of the fabric. Preferably, but not necessarily, the pile-forming yarns a are of heavier guage than the binding yarns b so that in the finished fabric the latter are not readily discernable on the front or pile face of the fabric. While the'section of fabric as illustrated in Figures 1' and 2 is shown as including only four Warp lines of chain stitches, it will be obvious that the finished fabric may have any desired number of such warp lines of chain stitches, limlength of the fabric which it is desired to produce.

-As most clearly appears in Figure 1, a pileforming loop I 5 is drawn out of each chain stitch l4 formed of the main yarns a, the corresponding segments l6 of the binding yarns b forming each such chain stitch being drawn tightly into the chain stitch so as to provide more or less tightly knit chain stitches having freely extending therefrom the pile-forming loops l5. Thus, each stitch I4 of the warp-knitted chains thereof is characterized in that it is composed of both a main body yarn a and a plat-ed binding yarn b, the stitch in each-case being drawn into more or less tight condition, principally by the binding yarn b, to hold the freely extending pile-forming loop l thereof securely in position.

Each of the weft yarns 0 extends in a back and forth sinuous path across four adjacent lines of the warp-knit chain stitches, these weft yarns 0 being incorporated in the chain stitches in unknit relation, that is, merely laid in the chain stitches. A separate weft yarn c is employed for each four adjacent warp lines of stitches so that each such weft yarn extends through successive weft-wise courses of four warp-knitted chain stitches 'I 4, the direction of feed of the weft yarn being reversed for each succeeding course of four chain stitches.

This is illustrated most clearly in Figures 1 and 2 wherein one of the weft yarns c, for purposes of clarity, is shown in relatively heavy-black line, it being observedthat this weft yarn extends sinuously'across four adjacent lines of the warp chain stitches and is laid course-Wise through the adjacentchain stitches knitted of the yarns a and b.

Theweft yarn c, after traversing therfirst course I!- of fourchain stitches, is reversed in its direction of travel to form a loop; as at It, and then traverses in opposite direction the second course it of four chain stitches to form a loop, as at 25],

such reversal in direction of traverse of the weft ,yarn being continued until it is sinuously laid in all of the successivecourses of the stitches of the four adjacent Warp-knitted lines thereof, It will be apparent that the right-hand loops l8 are repeated in every other weft-wise course of the chain stitches and that the left-hand loops 2a! occur in all of the intervening courses, each such loop being common to a pair of successive stitches in the warp chainwith which said loop is immediately associated. It will be noted that the chain stitches formed of the yarns a and b are knit about the weft yarn c which traverses said stitches course-Wise and so incorporate the weft yarn in the fabric in an unknit condition.

By employing a plurality of weft yarns 0, each of which is independently introduced into the knitted fabric for each warp line of stitches, as at M, 22, 23, 24, etc., and extends sinuous-1y across four warp lines of stitches as just described, a structure is provided wherein each chan stitch M of the fabric incorporates therein four weftwise yarns cand wherein each successive pair of stitches M in a given warp line thereof are secured together by a loop of the weft yarn formed at the point where it reverses its path of travel course-wise of the fabric.

This is shown most clearly in the diagrammatic illustration of Figure'3 in which the warp-knit chain stitches are represented by the short, heavy lines 25. Each warp-knit line of these stitches '25- is, of course, formed of a separate body yarn a in association with binding yarn b, and each group of four successive warp lines (e. g., lines 26, 2?, 28, 39, etc) of these stitches are interconnected by a weft yarn c which extends sinuously back and forth through successive weft-wise courses of the stitches of the said group of warp lines. By repeating this pattern, as by succeschain stitches 25 (in the fourth warp line 29) each have incorporated therein the weft yarns c c 0 and 0 while the chain stitches 25 (in the fifth warp line 30) include in each case the weft yarns c c 0 and 0 In addition, it will be observed that each successive pair of chain stitches in a given warp line thereof are interlocked by the reversal loop of a weft yarn. Thus, the first two chain stitches 25 (in the fourth warp line 29) are bound together by the right-hand loop 40 of the weft yarn 0 while the second and third stitches in the same chain are similarly bound together by the lefthand loop 4! of the weft yarn 0 By drawing the weft yarns tightly against the warp-knitted chains at each of the points where the weft yarns is reversed in its direction of travel weft-wise of the fabric, the several warp-knitted chains are drawn tightly together and are retained in their close association, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, to form a closely knit fabric having on its front face a dense pile (see Figure 5) formed of the pileforming loops derived from the-main body yarns a.

Thus, in the fabric of the present invention, the binding yarns b serve conjointly with the weft yarns c to provide a closely knit, inextensible pile fabric, the yarns b insuring against extension of the fabric warp-wise and the yarns c against its extension weft-wise, the loop-forming yarn a and the weft yarns 0 being in commonly held together in tight relationship by the warp-knitted chain stitchesformed of the 'binding yarns b which are arranged in plated relation with respect to the loop forming yarns a.

As has been previously indicated, the binding warp stitches are preferably formed of a finer, tougher and stronger yarn than either the loopforming yarns a or the weft yarns c and are not designed to enter into the pattern or ornamentalappearance of the fabric, their primary function being to hold the loop-forming and weft yarns securely together.

The weft yarns c overlap in their course-wise traverse of the fabric so that several of the warp lines of chain stitches are traversedby each course-wise length of a given weft yarn. 'In the illustration described, the weft yarns traverse four adjoining warp lines of chain stitches, but it will be understood that the overlap of the weft yarns may be varied, as desired, to vary the number of warp lines of stitches traversed'by a given course-wise length of the weft yarn.

As has been pointed out hereinbefore, the weft-forming yarns of the present fabric are laid traversely of the warp lines of stitches and are secured in place at points spaced weft-wise and warp-wise of the fabric by the warp-knitted stitches formed of the binding yarns b, the freely extending loops of the pile-forming yarns a being formed by drawing free portions of these yarns outwardly of the face of the fabric for each chain stitch formed in a warp line. While the fabric of the present invention may conceivably be made on various types of warp-knitting machines, it is preferred to make the same on the type of warp-knitting machine such as is shown and described in United States Patent No. 1,748,495, of February 25, 1930, the tubular yarn guides therein shown being suitably multiplied in number and the lateral travel thereof adjusted to form the requisite loops, the outward movement of the loop-forming hooks of said prior patented machine being also adjustable to provide the depth of loop desired to be formed.

It will be understood that the present invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit thereof, and it is, accordingly, intended to claim the said invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knit of a separate yarn, a plurality of weft arns incorporated unknit in said chain stitches, each of said weft yarns extending back and forth across a plurality of said warp knit lines of stitches, the successive weft-wise extending portions of each weft yarn being respectively incorporated in successive weft-wise courses of said chain stitches, a freely extending pile-forming loop drawn outwardly from each chain stitch, and a series of warp knit chain stitches arranged in plated relation with respect to and interknitted with first-mentioned chain stitches to secure said weft yarns within the weft-wise courses of said loop-forming chain stitches.

2. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knitted of a pair of separate yarns arranged in plated relation, and a plurality of weft Yarns equal in number to said series of warp knit lines of chain stitches, each weft yarn being extended back and forth across a plurality of adjoining warp lines for incorporation unknit within successive weft-wise courses of said chain stitches, one of the pair of plated yarns of which said chain stitches are formed having portions thereof freely extending from each stitch to form a pile-forming loop and the other of said pair of yarns being tightly knitted to secure each chain stitch to the weft yarn traversing the same.

3. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knitted of a pair of separate yarns arranged in plated relation, and a plurality of weft yarns incorporated unknit in each weft-wise course of said chain stitches to form a foundation or backing for said fabric, one of said pair of plated stitchforming yarns having portions thereof freely extending from each stitch to form a pie-forming loop and the other of said pair of stitch-forming yarns being tightly knit about the weft yarn traversing the same to bind said weft yarns within the chain stitches, each of said weft yarns being characterized in that it extends back and forth across a group of adjoining warp knit chains to form opposed loops respectively disposed at opposite sides of said group of chains whereby to confine the latter between said loops.

4. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knitted of a pair of separate yarns arranged in plated relation, and a plurality of weft yarns incorporated unknit in each weft-wise course of said chain stitches to form a foundation or backing for said fabric, one of said pair of plated stitchforming yarns having portions thereof freely extending from each stitch to form a pile-forming loop and the other of said pair of stitch-forming yarns being tightly knit about the weft yarns traversing the same to bind said weft yarns within the chain stitches, each of said weft yarns being characterized in that it extends back and forth across a group of adjoining warp knit chains to form opposed loops respectively disposed at opposite sides of said group of chains whereby to confine the latter between said loops, certain of said weft yarns being incorporated in the fabric in overlapping relation whereby each line of warpknit chain stitches is embraced between a pair of opposed loops respectively formed by reversing the direction of traverse of the weft yarns coursewise of the fabric.

5. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knitted of a pair of separate yarns arranged in plated relation, and a weft yarn incorporated unknit in each weft-wise course of said chain stitches to form a foundation or backing for said fabric, one of said pair of plated stitch-forming yarns having portions thereof freely extending from each stitch to form pile-forming loops and the other of said pair of stitch forming yarns being tightly knit about the weft yarn traversing the same to bind said weft yarn within the chain stitches.

6. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knitted of a pair of separate yarns arranged in plated relation, and a weft yarn incorporated unknit in each weft-wise course of said chain stitches to form a foundation or backing for said fabric, one of said pair of plated stitch-forming yarns having portions thereof freely extending from each stitch to form pile-forming loops and the other of said pair of stitch-forming yarns being tightly knit about the weft yarn traversing the same to bind said weft yarn within the chain stitches, said weft yarn being extended back and forth across a group of adjoining warp knit chains to form opposed loops respectively disposed at opposite sides of said group of chains whereby to confine the latter between said loops.

'7. A warp knitted fabric comprising a series of parallel lines of chain stitches each warp knitted of a separate yarn, said yarn having portions thereof freely extending from each chain stitch to form pile-forming loops, and means for binding together said warp knit lines of chain stitches to provide a, substantially flat pile fabric in which the chain stitches of the several warp knit lines thereof are arranged in parallel courses extending weft-wise of the fabric. said means including a weft yarn traversing successive courses of adjoiningchain stitches and a binding yarn arranged in plated relation with respect to and interknitted with said pile-forming yarn to form chain stitches tightly knit about the weft yarn, one such tightly knit chain stitch being provided for each pile-forming chain stitch.

\ MILTON NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,924,649 Morton Aug. 29, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,141 Great Britain 1905 

